Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-03-30
A DRAWN CANE.

Edgae Allen johnson was sitting on May
aflseuoon IN the privees room Of his ONCE In
Exchange court In the city Of Liverpool. The
sunlight slanted across . sleek brown head
and made the splendid diamond which
adorned the little finger OF his len hand
sparklA Mr.. Johnson's was an aristocratic
hand, slender and white, for the possession
OF which he was indebted 70 some remote m.
cestor whose name WAS not johnson. 'Geh'
ueman" was stamped upon every feature Of
his calm, clean shaved, exprcesionless facA
UScouudrel," hy some unaccountab ble omis.
son on the part Of nature WAS not written
there His features, though well shaped,
were small
After . time he desisted from his occupa.
tion Of sbsently covering the blotting ped
before him with tiny dots, and rising abrurty
took up his position on the hearth rug, with
his back 70 the fireplace.
He wss tall man, slimly built with Q we'll.
poised head and square shoulders and as
the night fell more strongly upon his face 1t
80 noticeable that his eyes-which were
blue, and very closely set together-were
clear and guileless as . little child'A He
found those eyes very useful upon occasiona
useful beyond the ordinary use of eyes They
were eyes that could look straight into yours
while their owner was concocting or relating
statements or incidents which might be abso.
lutely false They had had . good deal Of
practice He was thirty years old, aud during
all his life had never yet told the truth when
lie would do as we'll.
The glib fslsehood flowed from his tongue
with smoothness and air OF truth which
would have deceived, and did deceive, the
most wary and suspicious OF the fascinating
Johnson's friends and associateA
In the eyes Of the commercial world Mr.,
Johnson was rich man. In the eyes Of his
Al ali Av1A L..
lettering on the brink OF ruin. Nothing short
OF miracle could save it. and Edgar knew
that the days Of miracles were past
he was evidently thinking deeply as he
stood there on this May afternoon. His fore.
head WAS contracted, his thin, well-cut lips
pressed closely together. Suddenly an in.
describable agitation passed over his features,
accompanied with 2eiver, slight and fleet
ing - the bling u calm lake stirred by
some passing breezs. He advanced quickl y
toward the table and touched q small bell
which stood thereon.
A clerk entered the room.
"Saunders "A hansom."
"fee, sir," and the door closed again.
Mr.. johnson got into his light overcost,
drew on his gloves In the same calm, gentle
manly manner in which he did most thinks
took up bis hat and stick, went down stairs
eno ielsurely entered the hanson, which he
directed to certain house in James street
In Tow minutes the hanson stopped at q
The most prosperous firms sometimes carry
on their operations in the dingiest of offices,
and the firm OF slew, DorrelI & Co" brokers
ana shipowners, bore this out faithfully. 1t
was . very prosperous firm and had during
lationh
MI. johnson, having instructed the cab
man 70 wait treaded the tortuous mazs OF
pessages which led to the sanctuary where
Levi Co transacted their mighty business
q IN a a hAaR n l.l ~.
card 70 the sunny-looking clerk, and after .
minutes delay was shown into the room,
where. In attitudes OF conscious wealth and
power, sat the senior partner, Mr.. Levi,
and his colleague, Mr.. DorrelL Mr..
features OF his race, and an eye which in a
horse would have been called "wicked." Mr..
Dorrell was also dark, but tall and thin,
Well shaped and gentlemanly. The third
occupant OF the room, seated at distant desk
IN corner, was Mr.. mably
the .Co" He was, however, the mere echo
OF the two senior partners, and never ap-
peered to take any active par. 10 the bust.
ness OF the hrm. He did not even look up
- Mr.. johnson entered, but went on writing
with very audible quill pen.
Mr.. Leyi and Mr.. Dorrell were rather i'm.
pressed with the manner and bearing OF their
visitor, who had an air of deferential yet dig
mined courtesy which told in his favor Q,
once. His voice, a. he remarked upon the
chilliness of the weather for the season OF the
year, had . CHEEKY, high. bred tone, which
was not the least striking OF his many
charma The partners were surprised e
learn that he WAS only q cotton broker. AfteI
rev preliminary remarks-in which, as hi,
nar1e, calling and place OF business wert
chiefly concerned, Mr.. johnson did not find
II necessary to employ his inventive talen
he proceeded to enter into the particulars o
his projected business with Levi Il Co.
- understand, Mr.. Lsvi," he said, will
his clear blue eyes fixed upon the "glitterini
monocula,' which added lus,er and Ell cacy
to Mr.. Lsvi's left eye, "that you grant ad
vances upon cargoes in transit, IL shipped II
your vessels l think" he continued, de
precatinRly. I" ! need not mention the posi-
tion my firm holds in the mercantile world
capital is locked up to q degree which pre-
like"
"Quite so," assentsd Mr.. Dorrell blandly
"Quite So" said the faint echo like voic>
from the corner desk.
Mr. Levi bowed slightly, and indicated I
Tish that Mr. johnson should proceed Mr.
johnson crossed one leg lightly over the
other and went on.
q! have been in the habit of shipping cot
ton from Alexandria by the vessels of Jones
q Co, but II you, gentlemen, can see your
Nay TO mako to me the necessary advance:
on csrgoes, propose transferring by bust
ness to your firm. At present 1 have 2,OO(
| u'es oi cotton reaoy TO ship here from Alex
endria, for which want an al vance of 600,
900 This only, Of course, on your receipt O
the usual bills OF lading from Alexandra
and, with . courtly bow, "should you de
sire to make any inquiries regarding tn,
Standing OF my frn, ,stc, trust that you vii
md all things satisfactory"
1--WE knew your firm well by reputation
M. Johnson" said Mr.. Levi, " though ",
have not had the pleasure OF knowing 70,
personally until TO day"
"Then," said Mr.. Dorrell, after due In
quiries-which In your case, Mr.. johnson
are Q mere matter OF form-we shall b,
pleased to make you the required sd vance
on receipt of the formal bills of lsding irou
our agents In Alexandria"
MI johnson bowed gracefully and tool
his departure.
That night Mr.. johnson had Import an
bnsiness which detained him in his privst,
once until the small hours of the morning
he wss writing, not In his rapid and contin
1ous style, but lsboriously and haltingly
Had you stood behind his chair for y second
you would have seen that he was carefuily
copying signature which read thus "a bdu
Pinero" Hsspared no pains with his work
ana It was long after midnight when be
leaned beck In his chair and inspected the
result OF his labors with keen scrutiny and
critical approval The imitation was perfect
1t had been troublesome signature 70 copv
Aooul had an awkward knsck OF spreading
the capital backward, entwining It round
nis Christian % name In . style which wal